Should Christian's Be Involved in Politics?

Augustine said those who are citizens of God's kingdom are best equipped to be citizens of the kingdom of man. Historian John Hallowell wrote, “Only through a return to faith in God, as God revealed Himself to man in Jesus Christ, can modern man and his society find redemption from the tyranny of evil.”
 

Who is better to govern us than our Creator? It is Christian involvement in government that gave us hospitals, civil liberties, abolition of slavery, modern science, the elevation of women, regard for human life, great works of art and literature, a workable system of justice, education for common people, the free-enterprise system, and much, much more. Personal faith, biblical principles, and the recognition of God's sovereignty are spread throughout the writings of our nation's founding fathers. The Bible's solutions make sense and we should vote to keep out of office those who attempt to oppose God's authority, regardless of their political affiliation.
 

Where we have a voice and can elect our leaders, Christians should exercise that right by voting for those whose views most closely parallel God's principles.
 

Recommended reading:  The Stewardship of Politics, by Timothy J. Carlson, The Restoration Herald, Sept 2012. Let Me Tell You How You Should Vote, by Ben Cachiaras, Christian Standard, Sept 2012. Should Christians Vote for a Mormon President?, by Bob Russell.

I Hope He Learns His Lesson!

In my 20 years at FCC, I have had blessings too many to count. Our FCC family, though not perfect, is warm, caring, and generous.

 

I've also had a few blunders along the way. (Okay, more than a few.) I'm talking about the kind of blunders that cause a more sensible person to say "I sure hope he learns his lesson." Translation: "I hope he pays for his stupidity."

 

I've done and said some really stupid stuff. Oh, I'm not talking about things like having a jr. high lock-in with no other adults to help, or saying from the pulpit "there's so much sex on TV it's no wonder they call it the boob tube," or scheduling three weeks straight of camp, youth conference, and another week of camp all the while my wife, Kim, was at home with a 4 and 1 year old, or...(it's a long list). I'm sure you have your list, too.

 

I've learned lessons a lot bigger than those -- most of them the hard way. Why is it that some of our biggest and most important lessons learned come out of pain I caused in others and in me? I'm sure it has something to do with the hardness and stubbornness of my own heart -- it takes a greater blow to break it.

 

Thankfully, with all my blunders and moments of idiocy, I am still surrounded by the arms of a loving God and others who love me unconditionally.

 

Life and ministry is a series of mistakes, lessons, and blessings. Often, they run together in a pack. So, here are a few (more practical) lessons I've learned in ministry to this point.

1. God does more than we can ask or imagine.
2. My wife, Kim, is my best friend and my greatest supporter and co-laborer in ministry.
3. It's not a job, but a calling. If you ever see it as a job then you need to get out of the ministry and do something else.
4. You cannot please everyone, nor can you make everyone happy. So don’t sweat it.
5. Church bulletins are a necessary evil.
6. Get out of the office and among people. You can’t sit in an office all day and do ministry.
7. Sometimes you have to let people leave the church.
8. Prayer needs to be our first choice, not last resort.
9. You can’t do it all, so trust others to help.
10. Extend mercy and grace first...ask questions later.
11. It’s okay to rest, relax and sometimes go hide. Jesus did.
12. Seek wisdom from others. There are some smart people out there.
13. Far more important than your ministry and only second to God is your family. Don’t neglect them.
14. God's Word changes people.

Still learning,
Phil

Dirty Shoes

Social media is an odd fellow. In many ways it has drawn us closer together as we reconnect with old friends and connect with new ones. Yet, it reminds us how divided we can be as hot issues are debated. I have engaged it such debates from time to time, but I'm not so sure it has always been time well spent.

Yes, Christians should proclaim the truth, but not in places where God's truth is unwelcome. Jesus said, "I stand at the door and knock" (Rev 3:20). The image we see is Jesus patiently waiting for us to let him in -- he does not barge in where he is not wanted. So, why do we insist on carrying His truth into hostile arenas where it is not accepted nor wanted?

The sad reality is that those who are still under the influence of the sinful nature are incapable of understanding spiritual things because sin blinds them from the truth (Romans 8:6-7). Sin creates a disdain for God's commands. Sin separates us further from God and His truth. So, don't get frustrated when non-believers misuse Scripture in an attempt to prove their point. Don't be surprised that they don't understand your point of view. Don't be shocked by their brashness toward that which is precious to you. Without the Holy Spirit's guidance, they do not and cannot fully understand God's eternal plan from Genesis to Revelation (1 Cor 2:10-16).

What, then, should we do? Love them as God loves them. Share the Good News with them as we are commanded to do in Matthew 28:19. Valiantly defend the truth of God's Word without shame (Romans 1:16). But don't continue to throw seed where it will be trampled. As Jesus put it, "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you" (Matthew 7:6). If the person, after hearing the gospel, is still hostile toward God's truth, perhaps it is time to shake the dust off your shoes (Luke 9:5).

Spiritual Independence Day

Each year on this day, July 4th, America celebrates Independence Day, remembering our freedom from British rule. As citizens of heaven who are only incidentally American citizens, we have a more significant freedom and liberty to celebrate. Christians everywhere celebrate a spiritual independence day.
What kind of freedoms do we enjoy in Christ?
• Freed from bondage (Luke 4:18)
• Freed the slavery of sin (John 8:32)
• Freed from the fear of death (Heb 2:15)
• Freed from a depraved mind (2 Pet 2:19)
• Freed from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2)
• Freed from the bondage of having to satisfy God’s law (1 Cor 9:21; Gal 2:4; 4:22; 4:30-5:1)
• Freed from past sins (Heb 9:15)
• Freed from our sins by his blood (Rev 1:5)
• Freed from accusation (Col 1:22)
• Freed from the power of sin (Rom 6:7, 18, 20, 22) Caution: Do not think this freedom gives you permission to sin. 1 Pet 2:16 says "Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God" (See also Gal 5:13) \
• Free to approach God with confidence (Eph 3:12)
• Freed from spiritual blindness (2 Cor 3:16)
• Freed from the curse of a decaying body (Rom 8:21)
• Free to be a slave to others (1 Cor 9:19) Caution: Don’t let your freedom from the law lead others to violate their consciences (1 Cor 8:9)
• Freed by the law of love (James 1:25; 2:12)
As followers of Jesus, let's celebrate our independence day!
Phil

#1 Cause of Church Growth

Church growth experts, in determining The #1 Cause of Church Growth, have had the following measure in place for many years: How did you find out about us? I’ve asked first time attenders this question, but admittedly, I haven’t asked it enough to develop useful data.

How did you find out about FCC? We could come up with several possible answers: building location, website, programs, community involvement/service, special events, etc. All of these are good and important to have, but are any of them The #1 Cause of Church Growth. Nope. Not even close.

By far and away, the #1 answer is: Invited by a friend or family member. Are you surprised? I’m not. I think we greatly underestimate the significance of “a person with skin on them” personally inviting their friend or family member to church. Too often, however, we fall into a passive Field of Dreams kind of approach – “if we build it, they will come.”

So what are we to do? We must equip you and help you succeed. We must create a warm and welcoming facility and environment. We must offer an opportunity to worship God that is meaningful. We must be Biblically strong and culturally relevant. We must seek to meet the needs of others. We must build strong families. The list could be long and should require us to re-think everything about our church. In fact, this is exactly what our Leadership Team has been doing this year as we re-tool our mission, vision, and core values of the FCC. I’m excited how God is moving. You may not see it yet, but there is a “buzz” in the air.

Let’s not forget The #1 Cause of Church Growth – inviting your friends and family members.

If I Were the Devil

If I were the devil, I would wage warfare against church leaders. I’d be relentless in my attack with evil spirits of depression and despair, anger and bitterness, jealousy and lust, deceit and pride. If such things bled over into the congregation at large, so be it.

If I were the devil, I would attack families in every way, shape and form. I'd distract husbands from loving their wives and wives from respecting their husbands. I'd prevent fathers from fulfilling their responsibility in raising their kids. I'd plant seeds of frustration and resentment in moms head and heart. I'd promote individualism in the heads of children, making them believe they don't need others. I'd attack God's formula for marriage of one man, one woman, for one lifetime. I would NOT touch the spirituality of husbands and fathers because well, if it's already broke...

If I were the devil, I would get you to believe that faith is strictly a private matter - just between you and God. I'd craftily and methodically remove God and references to faith from government, schools, prisons, hospitals, and all public life, for that matter.

If I were the devil, I would convince mankind that we evolved without a Creator. I'd blur the line between right and wrong with situational ethics and relativism, all in the guise of becoming a more free, more loving, and more tolerant people.

If I were the devil, I suppose  I would do just what the devil is doing now.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ~Ephesians 6:11